Problems with 2001 Ford F-150 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

After hearing about a possible failure of the fuel tank straps, i inspected my straps and found one of the straps corroded to the point of failure, it is split and separated. i am no longer driving this truck. i was going to wait a few weeks to see if there is a recall on this problem. luckily this info was published to warn others. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f150. the contact stated while making a right turn at approximately 10 to 15 mph, the vehicle fuel tank separated as fuel spilled onto the highway. the vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed corrosion of the fuel tank and straps. the fuel tank and straps were replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised that the failure was not recalled. the failure mileage was 129,000 and the current mileage was 130,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while driving approximately 20 mph, the contact heard a loud noise outside of the vehicle. the contact pulled over to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle and noticed that the fuel tank partially disengaged. the vehicle had not been towed. the manufacturer nor the dealer were made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 127,997.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that the fuel tank was filled and while driving, the contact was informed that the fuel tank had fractured from the vehicle and gasoline fuel was spilling onto the highway. the fire department arrived to assist and advised that the straps of the fuel tank were rusted and fractured, causing the fuel tank to fall. the contact had the vehicle towed to a local auto repair shop. the failure and current mileage was 138,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f150 pickup truck. the contact stated that there was fuel leaking from the fuel tank onto the ground. the vehicle was inspected and abnormal rust spots and holes were found in the fuel tank. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who replaced the fuel tank, straps and the fuel sensor assembly at a cost of $864. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 61,000. updated 10/12/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while driving approximately 70 mph, there was a loud noise and immediately the vehicle was maneuvered to side of the road. the contact noticed the fuel tank detached from the vehicle and both fuel tank straps were completely rusted. the failure caused damage to the fuel tank as a result to an extensive amount of fuel leakage on the ground. the vehicle was temporarily repaired and driven to the residence. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer stated there was not a recall and provided no further assistance. there was an open investigation under nhtsa action number ea11006 (fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly). the failure mileage was 218,000. updated 07/21/11 *bf the gas tank strap broke,causing the tank to fall while driving. updated 07/25/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated while driving away from refueling, the fuel tank and filler neck fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where they informed the fuel tank straps and frame were corroded. the fuel tank, straps and filler neck were all replaced. the failure and the current mileages were 142,000.

2001 ford f-150 fuel tank straps failed and dropped tank on road. i was in parking lot backing out and it fell to ground. had to be strapped up and towed to a shop and the straps replaced. updated 08/04/11 *bf the consumer stated both straps broke. the tank went completely to the ground on the front. the tank was at a 45 degree angle with the front on the ground. updated 08/11/11 *tr

2001 ford f-150. consumer states vehicle caught fire and then exploded *tgw the consumer stated she saw a report on t.v. regarding problems with fuel tanks and nhtsa was investigating. *jb

Approaching the exit ramp off the freeway i heard a dragging sound, thought it was my muffler. i pulled over and got out and smelled gas, (just filled the tank at 4.19 gal day before) and saw the front of the gas tank was dropped and gas was all over. had to call the fire department to put oil dry or something on the ramp. i was fortunate that it didn't spark and the truck blew up. a few days prior we just got back from a trip to see the grandkids in upstate new york. we drove around ny with these children in the truck. it gives me shivers to think if this would have happened and a spark we could have lost our lives and our grandchildren. this is a very dangerous problem and i guess ford has known about this and will not take responsibility. we had to have the truck towed and a new fuel tank, vent valve, fuel pump module, pressure sensor and new fuel tank straps. the rusting out of the fuel tank straps is what caused the gas tank to drop. our total for this repair was 1,674.97. i would think this is a serious safety issue with the straps to a gas tank rusting out. ford does not have a recall on this and i think they should.

My gas tank strap was hanging below vehicle... dealer said it happens all the time and estimate was over $250 to replace 2 straps... unbelievable... dealer also said 2nd strap was in bad shape and ready to break. *tr

While driving at residential speed the gas tank dropped down and began dragging on the ground spilling all the gasoline contents. there was no warning, i just heard a thunk and a dragging sound which i able to pull off to the side of the road within a block, this was a onetime failure. the local vehicle service repair shop ordered a new gas tank and new tank holding straps and replaced the failed ones which were rusted through and had let go. *tr

Both straps holding the fuel tank on my 2001 f-150 broke allowing the gas tank to fall to the ground and be dragged down the mass turnpike(route 90) i was able to exit the highway and pull into a gas station. upon exiting the vehicle i saw the tank on the ground and gas leaking from it. the truck was towed to a service station for repair. they installed a new gas tank, straps and all the lines. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated the fuel tank strap corroded and fractured when the driver was driving approximately 35-40 mph. approximately ten gallons of fuel leaked as a result. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and then to the contact's residence. a mechanic stated the fuel tank straps and fuel tank needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the contact did not notify the manufacturer of the failure. the failure mileage was 155,000 and the current mileage was 156,000.

Yesterday, while driving at about 35 mph i hear a loud noise from the bottom of the vehicle. i pull over to realize that the entire gas tank had completely fallen off of the bottom of the truck, had punctured, and was spilling over 20 gallons of fuel into the road. the fire department was called and spent two hours containing the spilled fuel and assisting the tow truck driver to ready the truck so that it could be safely towed. the metal gas tank straps had completely rusted through and broke leaving the tank hanging on by only a couple of screws. the tank had to be fully removed from the truck before that tow truck driver could safely tow the truck to be repaired. this truck is only a 2001 model and only has 75,000 miles on it. this could have been a very serious situation given the amount of fuel that spilled and that it occurred on a busy intersection. thankfully there was no spark from the tank when it hit the ground! i think given the serious nature of this malfunction ford really needs to consider taking a look at their trucks built in this model year. especially since this occurred with such a low mileage vehicle given it's age. *tr

I was driving on the freeway, did not hit any bumps and heard a dragging noise from the rear of the vehicle. pulled off of the freeway and looked under my 2001 f150 truck and saw the front of gas tank sitting on the road. the straps on the gas tank had broken. was lucky that i stopped or according to mechanic, could have worn a hole in the gas tank and caught fire or exploded updated 08/04/11 *bf the consumer stated both gas tank straps broke in the middle and there was some rust and corrosion in the middle of the straps and less as they go toward the bolts. updated 08/11/11. *jb *tr

Just got off a highway traveling at 60 m.p.h. and stopped into a lowes . upon returning to truck to leave and backing from parking spot the full gas tank hit the ground. no lines were broken . both straps were rusted through.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that one the fuel tank straps fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 110,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated while driving 70 mph, the fuel tank detached from the vehicle, causing fuel to leak. the contact was concerned that a fire could have occurred due to the fuel leak and sparks. the fire department appeared on the scene to apply chemicals to the fuel tank. the vehicle was then towed to an authorized dealer where the fuel tank, straps and filler neck were replaced. the failure and current mileages were 157,805. updated 06/01/11*lj the consumer stated both fuel tank straps broke in the middle due to rust. updated 08/11/11 the consumer stated both gas tank straps broke. the fuel tank detached and dragged under the vehicle and created a hole in the tank. updated 12/16/11

2001 f-150 xlt gas tank strap rusted and broken, fuel tank found to be leaking near the top of the tank. *tr

After purchasing this used 4wd f-150 i filled the tank and noticed the smell gasoline. inspection of the fuel system revealed the rear gas tank support strap had rusted through. this allowed the tank to drop down and rest on the rock guard for the tank. operation of the truck in this state caused vibrations to wear through the tank resulting in the fuel leak. were it not for the rock guard (on 4wd models only) the tank may have fallen off or at a minimum left hanging from the front strap and the fuel line connections.

2001 ford f150 supercrew, fuel tank strap rusted through saw from a distance something was hanging under truck, crawled under, discovered strap had rusted through and was in two pieces, took off part that i could and attached a ratchet strap to hold tank in place until i can get the parts and repair. *tr

Discovered rear fuel tank strap on 2001 ford f150 was broken. front strap heavily rusted but still holding. fuel tank is sagging but not dragging. *tr

While having my 2001 ford f-150 4wd super cab (205,000miles) serviced, it was discovered that the rear fuel tank strap is completely rusted out and the front strap is ready to fail at any time. had the defect not been noticed at this time, the tank would have dropped from the vehicle to the road at any time. replacement straps are being ordered. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. while the contact inspected the vehicle, he detected that the fuel tank strap fractured. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the fuel tank strap was replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Front gas tank strap rusted through and broke in half. rear strap has rusted but not through yet.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the vehicle was parked when the contact noticed the fuel tank was hanging underneath the vehicle. the contact ordered the necessary parts from the manufacturer and repaired the vehicle. while repairing the vehicle the contact also noticed the straps which held the fuel tank in place were corroded. the failure mileage was 160,000 and the current mileage was 180,000.

Mt 2001 ford f150 began leaking fuel today from the fuel tank (underneath truck). approximately 3-5 drips per second were observed to be dripping. upon closer inspection, it looks as though the metal straps holding the fuel tank on the vehicle have corroded badly and worn a hole in the upper part of the tank. *tr

Gas tank straps failed on my 2001 ford f-150. i was leaving work when the gas tank just fell on the driveway as i was traveling about 25mph. i am very fortunate that it happened at this location as this situation could have been disastrous, luckily i was able to tie it back up with some nylon straps that i had with some help from a coworker. i was able to drive home and replaced the straps with new ones, the old straps apparently just rusted through and failed. ford should have a recall on this problem before someone is seriously hurt!!! *tr

2001 f150 fuel tank straps and fuel tank rusted through. *tr

Gas tank straps corroded to the point of failure on a 2001 ford f150. the problem was caught before complete release of the gas tank. new straps were put on in place of the original ones. *tr

While driving on the highway the straps on the fuel tank broke and the fuel tank fell off spilling approximately 25 gallons of gas. this was caused by the straps rusting away. *tr

I have a 2001 ford f150 crewcab truck. on my way home from work, my vehicle started making an awful noise and the truck instantly started working rough. i pulled over and turned off the truck. my husband came to check on me and when we popped the hood and when i turned on the truck he saw the spark plug coming out of the cylinder. i have yet to have the mechanic look at it. after reading up on this, i see this is a recurrent problem on ford trucks. i do not understand why nothing has been done regarding this matter. i simply do not have the funds available to pay for this if it is a major repair job nor do i have the means to purchase another vehicle due to the current economic state and were barely getting by as it is. i want something to be done and this issue with ford investigated further. it is a design flaw and this is getting ridiculous. do someone have to die in order for something to be done. thank god i did not pick my kids up yet . thank god i was just starting off from a light and hadn't even got back up to 20 mph. thank god it happens to me and not my husband that drove out to orlando today and was going to use my truck. he would have been severely hurt or worse if this occurred at 70+mph. i have read that this could cost in the thousands and when i get an estimate i will update this matter further. something has to be done, there are no more excuses. *tr

The rear fuel tank strap has rusted and broke in two. *tr

While driving my 2001 f-150 at approx 35 mph, the gas tank suddenly fell off when both tank straps failed. hoses and filler neck kept tank from totally separating from truck. towed to garage and had both straps replaced. $272.91. looks like a frequent problem after looking up on line. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf both straps were broken when the consumer checked after pulling over. they appeared to have failed where they were made to bend to go around the tank edge. there was minor rusting mostly at the bends. the tank did impact the road, but was only slightly dented with no compromise to the tank itself. updated 08/02/11

I found one of the gas tank retaining straps broken on my 2001 ford f-150. i am currently checking with suppliers for replacement fuel tank straps and found that these straps are being investigated as a vehicle defect. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf the consumer stated one of the tanks straps broke and it broke at the bend of the strap where it wraps around one of the bottom corners of the tank. there was no spill, since the remaining tank strap and what remained of the broken strap supported the tank. aside from the break, the tank straps appeared normal. updated 08/02/11

On friday, september 17, 2010 the fuel tank on my 2001 ford f-150 truck broke free of the undercarriage and was dragged approximately 200 meters before i could safely stop the vehicle. at the time of the incident, i was traveling 60 mph. upon exiting the vehicle, i smelled strong gasoline fumes and observed gasoline running from underneath the truck. i moved away from the vehicle and called the fire department and a tow service. from a distance (approximately 150 feet) the gasoline tank was clearly resting on the road surface. once help was on the scene, granular absorbent material was added to the gasoline which had spilled onto the road. the now empty gas tank was secured by rope to the truck undercarriage, revealing a large hole in the gas tank. upon further investigation, it was noted that the straps holding the tank had broke. the truck was removed from the scene on a flat-bed truck. the total cost associated with the gas tank straps breaking is $841.00. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf the strap failed where it attached to the truck frame. the strap ends appeared to be more worn than the strap body. approximately, 22-34 gallons of fuel was spilled. updated 08/02/11

While driving my 2001 ford f150 down the highway, a spark plug blew out of the head and damaged the ignition coil. gas/air mixture was sent into the engine compartment, and if the plug had not damaged the coil, it could have ignited the gas. the fuel line is also just above the pug, and could also have easily been damaged. *tr

2001 f-150 fuel tank strap broke last week. luckily noticed the tank sitting low when i pulled into the drive with my other vehicle. 141,000 miles. neighbor told me of the investigation he read in the paper the next day. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf the consumer stated one strap failed and the second was bound to fail very soon. the straps rusted and flaked in layers in the middle where the plastic sleeve was. the straps were not in good shape. they were flaky. updated 08/02/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact was driving approximately 70 mph when he noticed debris coming from under the vehicle as well as an abnormal dragging sound. the contact discovered that the fuel tank had partially fractured from the vehicle and began dragging. the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility where the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the current and failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that the fuel tank straps had begun to rust. the contact notified the dealer and the manufacturer of the failure, who advised the contact of nhtsa campaign id number: 11v385000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:mounting) but the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 93,000 and the current mileage was 115,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f150. while driving approximately 60-65 mph, there was an abnormal dragging coming from under the vehicle. the contact discovered that the fuel tank was semi-fractured from the vehicle. both straps were fractured and the fuel tank was hanging from the vehicle by the fuel line. a police report was available. the vehicle was towed to his place of residence. the manufacturer was contacted but would not provide any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileages were 191,000.

While driving on the freeway, i heard a loud pop from the engine compartment followed by the engine running roughly and accompanied by popping sounds. within 10 seconds, the smell of gasoline was noticed. i pulled off at the next exit, approximately 30 seconds later, and came to a stop. as i came to a stop, flames erupted from the hood and the entire engine compartment was engulfed in flames. a fire truck arrived within a few minutes and extinguished the fire, but not before the fire had burned through the firewall into the passenger compartment. the vehicle was a total loss. upon further inspection, it was discovered that the #8 cylinder spark plug had ejected from the cylinder (the initial pop sound) with such force that it ruptured the rubber fuel line immediately above it and aft of the stainless fuel injector bar. with fuel spraying from the hose, it was then ignited by the coil which was still attached to the engine and emitting sparks. it has been documented that the cylinder head design in this vehicle has had a history of problems with ejecting spark plugs due to a lack of adequate threads in the spark plug holes. i believe this defect contributed directly to this fire and is a safety hazard. *tr

Gas tank fell out of my 2001 f-150 rupturing gas in the street. cost me $1500 to fix and clean up. who is going to pay for this? *kb

I pulled away from a stop sign and heard a strange sound. i stopped the vehicle and looked underneath and saw the gas tank on the ground.

I have a 2001 ford 150 pickup and while driving home from work on the beltway my gas tank straps broke and my gas tank was dragging on the road. i didn't know this until i pulled over because i heard a weird noise under the truck. after inspecting on the shoulder of the road i noticed the gas tank was laying on the ground, both straps had broke due to rust. i had to strap up the tank with two tie downs and then order new straps from the dealer and replace. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f-150. the contact stated that while traveling at speeds of 60 mph, the fuel tank fractured from under the vehicle and onto the roadway. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who advised the contact that the two straps holding the fuel tank had broken. the failure and current mileages were 162,852. updated 11/23/10 *cn updated 11/30/10 updated 08/01/11 *bf updated 1/27/2012 *ln

The gas tank strap on my 2001 f-150 rusted completely through. the tank has 2 straps holding the tank up inside the frame. the front one was intact and the rear strap rusted completely in two. my friend noticed my gas tank was hanging down slightly and i was shocked to see the condition of the rear strap. i drove home slow avoiding potholes,etc. and called an auto parts store to order a new strap. i wanted to go with a ford part but they only came as a set and cost much more than the auto parts store. i'm concerned someone may not notice this condition until their gas tank goes rolling down the highway. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford f150. while driving at speeds of 70mph the fuel tank fell from the vehicle. there was a large quantity of gasoline spraying from under the vehicle and onto the highway. the contact was able to move the vehicle off the roadway without further incident. the vehicle was towed to his residence where the contact made repairs to the vehicle. the fuel tank straps had fractured causing the fuel tank to fall from place. the dealer was unable to provide any assistance. the manufacture was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were 103,000.

Hello, i was driving my 2001, ford f-150 truck with my son in the rear cab on a rainy saturday afternoon in march of this year when the gas tank fell out of it and was dragging on the ground for approximately a tenth of a mile before i pulled over and discovered the problem. it was leaking gas and i was lucky that no spark occurred because the pavement was wet outside. i had the gas tank, straps and fuel pump completely replaced as a result. i also have many pictures documenting the incident. *tr updated 08/01/11 *bf updated 1/27/2012 *ln *tr